


You'll Come Back

by Waitlist



Series: Waitlist's DA Collection [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/F, Goodbyes, The Battle for Denerim, background ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 13:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11106003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waitlist/pseuds/Waitlist
Summary: Before we go to war, we think of the ones we love.(based on prompt: love)





	You'll Come Back

“You are my dearest friend and my love; you lit my path through darkness and I will stand with you, to whatever end. This day, we will forge a legend of our own.”

Leliana held her head high as she spoke, crafting her words into a powerful surge of emotions in Aevani’s chest.

The entire day, right from the early morning hours, had been a blur of action, preparation, and orderly chaos, no time to spend a pensive thought over days gone by. Yet with all of her companions standing before her, Aevani wanted nothing more than the quiet and cool evening air by a campfire, to rest her head in Leliana’s lap while she hummed, and to know that tomorrow she would wake up and all of her trusted allies were no further than a tent away. Perhaps the repetition of the days had got to her.

If she were to speak now, her words would end up flowing into a crumbling resolve. Instead she simply nodded with a meaningful look at Leliana, but she still felt her strong facade turn from stone into glass.  Leliana winked and took her place in the rallying ranks.

Before Aev could turn to face her final battle, something nudged hard on her armour; a gesture that had become all too familiar.

“Tam…”

His name barely left her lips in a whisper as the large mabari sat in front of her with a low whine. It was the quizzical tilt of his head and the intelligent concern in his eyes that finally brought the trembling to the short elf’s fingers. Her lip quivered once but she bit down on it hard.

The hulking dog was one of the very first friends she’d met on her path. At the human ruin of Ostagar, only the morning after arriving, she found her way to the kennel master where she was introduced to the poor dog suffering. Aevani recognised the condition straight away; at the time, she was also still infected, surviving almost purely through elfroot and Ren’s lung potion. When the shemlen told her about the flower that could heal the mabari, she could only think of one person she would rather save from the choking clutches of the Blight.

So after the battle, outside Lothering, when the dog bounded towards her with a wagging tail and flopping tongue, she named him Tam, after Tamlen. Perhaps Falon’din had already guided his soul through the Beyond, into his next life, and he had already found his way back to her side. The thought of that comforted Aevani. It was just how things were meant to be.

Through all of their trials, Tam stayed with her. He got on well with Alistair, Leliana, and even Sten, in which they formed an unlikely team. The dog was a guardian spirit, constant support, a friend when friends were scarce.

Leaning down on one knee now, hours before do-or-die, she patted Tam’s flat and fuzzy head, eliciting a hopeful bark.

“I’ll be back, boy, don’t doubt it. Be good, stay with Sten,” she glanced back at the Qunari soldier, who nodded with something like reassurance. “We’ll see each other when it’s over, all right?”

He barked again, then nudged her armour with his head as he passed by. Aevani stood and faced her companions. She cleared her throat carefully, meeting each varying expression in the eye, and felt another whirl of hard emotion. An all-encompassing feeling of strength and family and love. Like she was missing them, although they hadn’t yet left.

“Though it might not mean much to you…” Aev took a deep breath in, then out. “Mythal’enaste, my lethallan.”

Tam barked, a low but loud assurance that Tamlen and all the Creators were watching. Among the others, they were unfamiliar with the words, but gathered the meaning respectfully.

With a fierce smirk, Aevani gave them a Grey Warden salute, and added; “And may Andruil place our enemies right under our weapons.”

**Author's Note:**

> still uploading short pieces from last year - now in a series!
> 
> learn more about Aevani here: http://aevani.tumblr.com/cards


End file.
